News
Updated USGS data changes strength of Thursday afternoon earthquake north of Pierre and Fort Pierre from 4.0 to 3.7
MAY 31, 2024: The US Geological Survey website now says it was a 3.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred Thursday afternoon (May 30, 2024, 2:39pm CT) about 24 miles north of Pierre and Fort Pierre. Oliver Boyd is a Research Geophysicist with USGS. He told DRG News that they don't have much earthquake monitoring equipmen...
May 31, 2024
SD Supreme Court upholds 75 year prison sentence for Pierre woman sentenced for First Degree Manslaughter
MAY 2024: The South Dakota Supreme Court has unanimously upheld the 75 year prison sentence given to a woman from Pierre who plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter related to a death in a Pierre motel in 2022 (Feb. 8, 2022). Miranda Ann Henry, aka Crystal Pumpkinseed, was sentenced in Hughes County Circuit Court in ...
May 30, 2024
July 2 sentencing date set for McLaughlin man found guilty of Simple Assault and Assault by Striking, Beating and Wounding
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Kenton Wynn Walks, age 39, of McLaughlin, of Simple Assault and Assault by Striking, Beating and Wounding following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen. The verdict was returned on May 22, 2024. The charges carry a maxi...
May 30, 2024
Discovery Center collaborating on project to create sustainable STEM workforce for South Dakota
The South Dakota Discovery Center in Pierre is a part of a research project that's been awarded nearly $8 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The funding comes from what's called EPSCoR E-CORE RII (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosyste...
May 30, 2024
Fort Pierre National Grassland's Greater Prairie-Chickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse at record high
USDA Forest Service staff on the Fort Pierre National Grassland have now completed their annual survey of Greater Prairie-Chickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse. A total of 878 displaying males were tallied in spring 2024, a 29% increase over spring 2023. Both Greater Prairie-Chickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse were at record-h...
May 30, 2024
South Dakota to hold Tribal Public Safety Crisis Summit June 24
South Dakota will be hosting a Tribal Public Safety Crisis Summit late next month (June 24, 2024) in Pierre. Although it's the United States government's responsibility to provide law enforcement on Reservation Land, around half of the Tribes in South Dakota have complained about the dire situation they're in because o...
May 30, 2024
Pierre City Commission takes step toward getting previously passed Business Improvement District ordinance into proper section of city law
The Pierre City Commission heard the first reading of an ordinance update this week (May 28, 2024) that would assign numbers to the Business Improvement District ordinance that was approved late last year. "The content of the ordinance was all approved in November," said Lacey Walz, City Finance Director. &qu...
May 29, 2024
Federal, state, local dollars being used for new weather station at Onida Municipal Airport
Before applying crop protection products, sprayer operators take things such as how soon it may rain, wind speed and humidity into consideration in order to get the most efficient, effective coverage possible. Finding that information out will be easier at the Onida Municipal Airport, thanks to a combination of federal...
May 29, 2024
Peitz more than pleased with Let Freedom Fly International Airshow
MAY 29, 2024: He was a driving force behind making the Let Freedom Fly International Airshow happen in Pierre over the Memorial Day weekend (May 25-26, 2024). More information about the Let Freedom Fly International Air Show will be released as details are worked out.
May 29, 2024
Cheyenne River Youth Project begins 2024 growing season with garden blessing
On May 16, 2024, the Cheyenne River Youth Project officially launched its 2024 growing season with a Lakota garden blessing. Staff, youth, and community members gathered in the 2.5-acre, naturally grown Winyan Toka Win (Leading Lady) Garden for the annual event. Prior to the blessing ceremony, renowned hoop dancer Star...
May 29, 2024